Customer Reviews

Treason (Library Edition)

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Treason shows evidence of many of the concerns that Card would come to have in his later novels-- self-determination, actualization of innate ability, the morality of violent self-defense versus the morality of pacifism, and the destiny of brilliant youths.

Set on a planet where the best radical minds of a generation were exiled without iron, Treason uses science fiction as a background for a thoughtful look at some serious issues.

Treason is clearly an early novel, and has aspects that are too obviously allegorical. In later works, the same allegorical bent will be expanded and the context of the world around the story will become fuller.

Recommended for Card fans. There is nothing to be disappointed in here, and should provide an interesting look at the roots of his later writing. People not already familiar with Card will probably want to begin somewhere else-- Wyrms or the Ender Wiggins books.

An epic tale combining mystery and fantasy, Treason more than meets expectations--I'd even go so far as to say that it's one of Card's best. Although the storylines are completely different, Card visits moral dilemmas familiar to readers of the Ender series: is genocide an acceptable tradeoff for the salvation of an entire planet? Is the sacrifice of one individual justifiable for the greater good of an entire race? In Ender's Game, Card creates a cold and oppressive cage known as Battle School to confine young Ender. In Treason, Card creates a lush and diverse world for his protagonist Lanik Mueller to explore in his exile. Whereas Ender's growth is largely internal and self-driven, Mueller picks up extraordinary powers while walking the earth, meeting new people and learning new skills. Lanik is frequently forced to ask himself deeper questions about life, sacrifice, and identity, all the while understanding that the more he learns, the more complex and difficult his choices become. He starts the novel alone and a freak; saving his own skin is almost more than he can manage. He ends the novel with terrible powers and the responsibility that comes with them, forced to choose the best way to save a planet hurtling towards destruction and death. Unlike Ender, he is fully aware of the choice he must make, making his decision all the more anguishing and tragic.

Card takes many risks in creating a fantastic world that the reader must simply accept as is--this tale belongs more to the realm of fantasy than pure "science" fiction. Yet the risk pays off, making the reading experience all the more memorable. The reader is drawn in by the nature of the protagonist's grotesque transformation and the beauty of a world that stretches the imagination. The mystery and intrigue surrounding the planet's sudden power shifts keeps the plot moving nicely, and Card creates a strong and believable cast of characters to breathe life into the story, giving it a center and a soul. Finally, Card leaves the reader to ponder Lanik's decision in the face of a nearly impossible choice, in a world characterized not by black and white but by subtle shades of grey.

Treason will probably never garner the attention of a book like Ender's Game, but nevertheless it is an excellent and thought-provoking story. This book is a hidden gem in the canon of modern SF and fantasy literature that will reward the reader who takes the time to unearth it.

Not since Ender's Game has a book so successfully denied me my much-needed rest. Treason took me two days to read -- only interrupted by two eight-hour shifts that I refused to call in for, and, even then, it stole my breaks.

Now, while I would like to resent the work itself for exhausting me so, I could never bring myself to hate something so brilliantly constructed, so perfectly woven and so beautifully written. Card's outdone himself this time. A first-person shifting-milieu character piece -- only Card could pull that off. And pull it off, he did. It was, perhaps, the greatest reading experience of my life.

Life, death, fear, discovery, perseverance, deception...all incorporated into a story that shakes the earth at will, makes the hours pass like minutes, and engages the reader's imagination so greatly -- so completely -- that he/she might well radically regenerate a second, maybe even third mind. This book was so damned good that I bought a second to lend to friends.

I have no higher a recommendation. Satisfied?

I first read "Treason" a couple of decades ago and loved it. I just finished re-reading it and I still love it. Even though the book is only his 2nd one published, it's amazingly well done. It's interesting that this early work is more "cerebral" than his later ones. In the newer books, he drags you into the situation more by your emotions than by your intellect. In this one, his methodology is reversed.

The only reason I give this book 4 stars out of 5 instead of 5 stars out of 5 is because there are a couple of situations where the main character behaves just flat-out stupidly. Of course, Card needs those brain-freeze moments to carry out the plot. But, they're disconcerting. A minor quibble in such a work, but definitely noticeable. Still, an excellent book. Highly recommended.

I have read most of Card's works, but for some reason this gem had eluded me until recently. Once I started reading, I couldn't put the book down - I finished within a few hours. It was a great medley of adventure, mystery, sci-fi and fantasy. A terrific story that I would recommend for all mature readers (there is some graphic detail that younger or sensitive readers may find objectionable) and fans of Orson Scott Card. Right up there with "Ender's Game", "Enchantment" and the Alvin books.

The metal-poor prison planet Treason is divided among 80 clans that are descended from the members of an intellectual cabal that threatened a populist empire 3 millenia ago. By selectively trading precious iron with each clan, the empire reinforces specialization, competition, and social fragmentation across the planet.

In Treason, Orson Scott Card tells the story of Lanik Mueller, a "radical regenerative" who is exiled from his clan of geneticists. Wandering (and bleeding) from land to land, he picks up capabilities and insights from each of the clans and eventually breaks his world free from Imperial control.

This book is a modest revision of Card's second novel, A Planet Called Treason. It's as solidly written and satisfying as any of his science fiction novels, Ender's Game excluded. Card demonstrates his talent for crafting SciFi with virtually no investment in science or technology.

Like all the SciFi classics (and prefiguring the Ender series), Treason is principally a vehicle for painless examination of social, moral, and ethical conundrums. I'm reminded that Card's greatest strength is his ability to honestly examine his characters and their issues from every side.

Over 3000 years ago, the finest scientific minds revolted against their authoritarian rulers and were banished to the metal-starved world now called Treason in this amazing fantasy adventure. Through the person of Lanik Mueller, former heir to the throne of a powerful nation, but now exiled due to a debilitating genetic defect, Card takes his readers on a journey
through the various states on Treason, each founded by a different would-be revolutionary, each facing unique geographical challenges, and each showing a remarkable resiliency in thriving despite the harshest of circumstances.
Will Lanik ever be allowed to assume his rightful place as ruler of Mueller, or does some other fate await this unfortunate young man? Be prepared to be floored again and again as Card throws us one mind-blowing surprise after another.

This is not exactly a science fiction novel, although Card does a fair job of making some of the wilder discoveries seem reasonable. After all, a lot can happen in 3000 years. The real focus isn't on the science, but on the diverse social and geographic settings, the breathtaking revelations, and on action that features a scorched-earth brutality seldom seen in this kind of book as our hero finds himself thrown into a series of ever-worsening situations. Warning: Mueller's society possesses genetic skills that allow Lanik to regenerate lost limbs and damaged organs, and Card includes plenty of distressingly gruesome scenes that call this into play, so this book is not recommended to the young or squeamish, especially since, while there are no sexual acts in the story, there are some sexually charged situations, (beginning when our young male hero grows breasts) that go far beyond standard prime-time sitcom innuendo. Don't let the easy reading and thrill-a-minute action fool you - this book is not for kids.

But if you're not easily put off by graphic scenes of people being hacked up, and you aren't hung up on the whole plausibility thing, and you're up for a traumatic-shock-filled adventure, this book's the real deal.

My comparative literature professor turned me on to Card back in 1989, and since then I have read everything Card title I could get my hands on. This novel is one of his better stories, though some might find the tale a bit more "twisted" than his other offerings. Persoanlly, I think it would make a great action film. Treason is a rich fantasy where the inhabitants of the planet Treason have maximized their family skills and genetic traits, each struggling to survive and some to gain control of this tiny little resource-starved planet. The hero travels the land, an outcast of his own family because he cannot control his genetic abilities, and finds the secret behind the shifting of power. This is a spellbinding story - you will not be able to put this one down.

Now that my nose is firmly placed on Mr. Card's posterior, I will return to my current reading project: Pastwatch - The Redemption of Christopher Columbus.

I don't why I am always shocked by it, but once again, Card had me mesmorized as I read this book. Everytime I thought I had it figured out, I found that I didn't. And the imagination of it - creating so many civilizations that were so amazingly unique! It was also the perfect mixture of sci-fi, fantasy, and historic cultures all rolled into one. It had my imagination dancing!

i love most of card's books (except the homecoming series) and i think this is one of his best single books. way way out there in the fantasy world - super imaginative and creative. many different "worlds" come together in this book as the character travels through strange lands. it was worth me searching out an out of print copy and purchasing one in hardback. i read it again and again, and it never ceases to amaze me.